A record-smashing 2026 United Airlines NYC Half
Hellen Obiri set a new women's record, Adriaan Wildschutt surprised on the men's side in the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Hellen Obiri set a new women's record, and South African Adriaan Wildschutt surprised on the men's side in the largest ever NYC Half on Sunday.
Obiri finished the pro women's race in a time of 1:06:33 to add the NYC Half to her victory list and smashed the course record by 30 seconds. Obiri also set a course record when she won the New York City Marathon in 2025.
She dethroned the defending United Airlines NYC Half champion Sharon Lokedi and set a new event record of 1:06:33, while running one of the largest margins of victory in event history.
"For me, New York City has been like home...winning (the TCS New York City Marathon) last year with an event record...this is an incredible moment for me. When you're alone and people are cheering for you, (they) made me run so fast," Obiri said during the live broadcast of the race on ABC 7 New York.
In his New York Road Runners debut and just the second half marathon of his career, Wildschutt made history to win South Africa's first-ever United Airlines NYC Half men's open division title in 59:30, the second-fastest debut time in event history.
The South African record holder at 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the half marathon won by 11 seconds, running away from American Zouhair Talbi - who has been on the podium in all three of his United Airlines NYC Half appearances - and India's Gulveer Singh - the national record holder at 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 meters - who was also making his New York Road Runners racing and half marathon debut.
England's Eden Rainbow-Cooper took the women's pro wheelchair race, finishing at 54:27 - her first United Airlines NYC Half title - with the largest margin of victory in event history.
Daniel Romanchuk of the U.S. claimed his third men's wheelchair division title, returning to racing for the first time since August 2025. The American has also won the New York City Marathon in 2018, 2019, and 2024.
She began wheelchair racing in 2013, inspired by former TCS New York City Marathon champion David Weir winning four gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics.
You can check the leaderboards and track runners on the NYRR website.
A record 30,229 athletes crossed the finish line of the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half. The race set a record as the largest half marathon in event and NYRR history, as well as the biggest in the country. The 13.1-mile park-to-park course started near Prospect Park before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge - the only race in history to do so - passing by Grand Central Terminal and running through Times Square, one of only two times a year the Crossroads of the World is closed to traffic.
Organized by the New York Road Runners, the United Airlines NYC Half is the world's premier half-marathon and the largest in the U.S. Sunday's runners featured 26 Olympians and Paralympians, 16 national record holders, 10 global medalists, and athletes from 17 countries.
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You can learn more about the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half on the New York Road Runners website.
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ABC 7 New York is a proud sponsor of the United Airlines NYC Half. Streaming coverage of the event was provided on abc7NY.com, our mobile and connected TV apps, and social media platforms.
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